The Gospel of matthew
“Jesus the King”
Part 4: Chapters 16-23
Bob Harding
Table of Contents
Chapter LESSON TITLE Page
16 Peter’s Confession Of Christ…………………………..………………... 3
17 The Transfiguration Of Christ ……………………………………….... 16
18 Humility And Forgiveness…………………………………………….. 29
19 A Question About Divorce; The Rich Young Ruler…………………... 49
20 Parable Of The Laborers In The Vineyard; True Greatness…………... 64
21 The Triumphal Entrance Into Jerusalem………………………………. 83
22 The Wedding Feast…………………………………………………... 108
23 Jesus Exposes The Scribes And Pharisees…………………………... 127
Matthew 16
PETER’S CONFESSION OF CHRIST
I. THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES (16:1-12)
16:1-4: A CONFRONTATION
1: “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Him asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.”
1. The Pharisees had utterly failed in earlier attempts to discredit Christ.
1) But instead of retreating they formed a coalition with the Sadducees.
2) These two groups comprised the Jewish religious establishment.
3) These two groups held opposite views on several important issues (Acts 23:6-8).
4) They set aside their differences to attack a common enemy (like fighting dogs).
2. They request a sign – an unambiguous display of supernatural power 12:28).
1) They want to appear as reasonable men, willing to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ if He can provide the proof.
2) In reality, their only aim was to tempt (peirazo, to put to the proof; 4:7) and humiliate Him.
2: “But He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening, you say “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.”
3: And in the morning, “There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.” Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?’”
1. Their unbelief wasn’t due to Christ’s failure to provide a sign – He had filled the land with signs.
1) The problem was that they had an evil heart of unbelief that blinded them to the obvious (12:34; 13:13-15).
2) They could read the sky to predict something as ordinary as the weather, but missed the signs of the times –
3) Miracles that pointed to the coming of the Messianic kingdom.
4) The proof that they cannot discern the “signs” is that they ask for a “sign.”
2. “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.”
1) As clouds move from west to east, the dawn sunlight will tint them in the west, portending rain as the day progresses.
2) In the evening the same phenomenon suggests that the clouds have almost disappeared, bringing good weather instead.
4: “‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.’ And He left them and went away.”
1. This repeats 12:39 verbatim.
1) Knowing their motives, Christ refuses their request, characterizing it as a sign of spiritual decay.
2) He would not give them the sign they sought – but the sign they needed.
16:5-12: WARNING: BEWARE OF LEAVEN
5: “And the disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.”
1. Jesus and the disciples sail to the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 8:13, 22), in route to Caesarea Philippi (13).
1) Matthew’s incidental remark that they “had forgotten to take bread” implies a hasty departure, since the disciples hadn’t foreseen the need to pack a lunch.
6: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
1. Beware of the pervasive, corrupting influence of the two groups Christ had just encountered.
1) 13:33: Jesus used the figure of leaven to describe the spread of His kingdom.
7: “And they began to discuss among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we took no bread.’”
1. They thought Jesus was scolding them for not bringing enough food.
8: “But Jesus, aware of this, said, ‘You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?’”
1. Little faith focuses on problems rather than solutions and is characterized by a lack of thought.
1) Because the apostles weren’t thinking, they missed Christ’s point (8:26; 14:31).
9: “Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
10: Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets you took up?”
1. Through a series of questions Christ exposes their sloppy thinking.
1) Jesus implies they should have understood.
2) They had been with Jesus long enough to have developed greater insight than they showed.
3) Having miraculously fed 1000’s on 2 different occasions and could feed the apostles—therefore He wouldn’t be scolding them for a lack of food.
11: “How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
12: Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
1. When Jesus repeats His warning of v 6 the disciples finally get it.
1) They were being warned about the RITUALISTIC and RATIONALISTIC teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
2. “Teaching” (doctrine) is singular and points to views these 2 groups shared in common – rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
1) Jesus never faulted the Pharisees for strict adherence to the Law itself.
2) He rebuked them for adding their traditions to the Law.
3) And for leaving some commands of God undone while doing others.
II. PETER’S CONFESSION OF CHRIST (16:13-20)
13: “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’”
1. Caesarea Philippi was located approximately 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee in the southern foothills of Mt. Hermon near a source of the Jordan River.
1) The town was originally known as Paneas (after a nearby grotto dedicated to the Greek god Pan).
2) But Philip the tetrarch (Luke 3:1) rebuilt the city, naming it after himself and Caesar Augustus.
2. After arriving in the neighborhood, Jesus asks His disciples how people outside their circle regarded Him.
1) On “Son of man,” (see 8:20).
14: “And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’”
1. Any of these would have been complimentary to most men, but when said about Jesus they fell far short of the mark.
15: “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’”
1. Christ knew what people were saying about Him.
1) He is preparing the apostles for the same question.
2) What was critical at this point was not what others said, but what the apostles said.
3) Jesus is creating an opportunity to teach using His identity to teach something about the church or kingdom.
4) If they knew the right answer, maybe they were equal to the role for which they were being prepared.
16: “And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
1. Peter, without hesitating, answers for all the apostles.
1) In the Greek the definite article the is used 4 times (also used before God).
17: “And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”
1. This doesn’t mean Peter received a special revelation given to no one else.
1) Instead, it means he drew the correct conclusion from the evidence available to all (John 5:31-39).
2) One of the reasons Jesus refused to give a sign in vv 1-4 was because enough signs had already been given.
3) Peter (and all the apostles) was blessed for seeing what the Pharisees and Sadducees had not seen – that the miracles Christ performed identified Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter (Petros, a stone), and upon this rock (Petra, large, massive rock) I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.”
1. Jesus anticipated that Peter would become a man of strength and stability, rock- like in character (Acts 4:10).
1) Peter still had a long way to go before reaching that point.
2) Christ’s statement shows the process (growth) was underway.
3) Peter would be a prime illustration of Jesus’ power to transform men.
2. “I will build” is future, indicating that the church had not been built yet.
1) Jesus is the builder of the church – built on His identity.
3. He is the foundation of the church (1 Cor 3:10-11; 1 Pet 2:4-7).
1) The cornerstone determines the measurements of the rest of structure.
2) A foundation is a force sufficient to withstand any pressure or stress placed upon it.
4) Its purpose is to counterbalance the force of gravity so that what goes up doesn’t come down.
19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
1. Metaphorically, a key symbolizes authority (you authorize another to drive you car by giving him a key).
1) In the first century, a key was given to a scribe when admitted to his office as a symbol of his authority to open the treasury of the divine oracles.
2) 23:12: Christ condemns the scribes and Pharisees for shutting up the kingdom against men (locking people out of the kingdom).
3) Luke 11:52: Described as taking away the key of knowledge.
4) The kingdom is something to be entered (7:21) and Peter, as a kingdom scribe (13:52), would show people how they could enter (Acts 2; 10).
2. This language of “binding and loosing” doesn’t mean Peter or the apostles had authority within themselves to determine the terms for admission to the kingdom.
1) The form of the verbs “bind” (deo) and “loose” (luo) is the future perfect passive (a past action whose effect exists in the present and will continue to exist in the future).
2) It should have been translated – “whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
3) This statement takes away the responsibility of human choice (Ps 119:89).
4) Peter was only to teach on earth what had had been willed in heaven (6:10).
3. Christ has all authority (28:18).
1) Christ – Foundation – church.
2) Christ – Builder of church.
3) Christ – Head of the church.
4. Authority given to the apostles (John 13:20; 20:21).
1) Power to bind/loose.
2) Keys = Power (Isa 22:22; 9:6; Rev 3:7; 1:17-18).
WHAT THE APOSTLES BOUND – CHRIST ALREADY BOUND
APOSTLES CHRIST
Faith in Christ Believe
Ac 16:30-34; Ro.10:8-17 Jn 8:23-24; Mk 16:15-16
Repentance Repent
Ac 2:38; 3:19; 17:30-31 Lk 13:3; 24:27
Confession Confess
Rom 10:9-10; 1 Tim 6:12 Mt 10:32-33
Baptized for remission of sins Believe & be baptized
Ac 2:38; 1 Pet 3:21 Mk 16:16; Mt 28:18-20
20: “Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.”
1. A little knowledge can be dangerous.
1) It’s one thing to believe Jesus is the Christ.
2) It’s another to understand what that means (22; 17:10-12, 26; 18:2-3).
3) The time would come when the apostles would be sent to proclaim Jesus as Lord (Mt.28:19-20), but not until they had received further schooling in the implications of that truth.
16:21-27:66: CHRIST’S DEATH – CONDEMNATION
“He must suffer many things…and be killed”
16:21-20:34: CHRIST PREPARES HIS DISCIPLES FOR THE END
III. THE FIRST PREDICTION OF HIS DEATH (16:21-17:21)
21: “From that time “Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”
1. This marks a new phase in the narrative.
1) Prior to this, Christ’s work has centered primarily in Galilee – introduction.
2) From here on, the focus is on Jerusalem and the fate awaiting Him there.
3) The heart of the book now takes center stage.
4) Jesus spent about 3 ½ years in His personal ministry.
5) He is now within about 9 months of His crucifixion.
2. Though He had previously hinted at His death (4; 9:15; 12:40), this is the first time He speaks explicitly about it.
1) For Jesus suffering was the essence of Messiahship.
2) From this point on He brings it out again and again (17:9, 12, 22-23; 20:18- 19, 28; 21:38-39; 26:2).
3. In this verse, Christ mentions 5 things that “must” be done.
1) He must go to Jerusalem (most of His life had been spent in Galilee).
2) He must suffer many things.
3) The elders, chief priests and scribes – The Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) would instigate His suffering.
· The elders (15:2) were originally the heads of tribes, tribal subdivisions, cities and families. When the Sanhedrin came into existence prominent elders shared with the chief priest the power of determining religious affairs and, if necessary, of expulsion from the synagogue.
4) His sufferings would end in death (the disciples are to be in no doubt about the outcome of events in Jerusalem).